Chapter 28

I woke up in a room attached to a serum with medications, and when I looked around, I saw that Nicolas was sleeping in a chair in the room.

- Nicolas? I tried to speak in a loud voice, trying to wake him up, but he didn't.

Nicolas? I tried again, this time louder

Nicolas: Isa? Hi, my love he said when he finally got up. How are you feeling?

Isabella: I think I'm fine, what time is it? Where is Rafaela?

Nicolas: It's about 6 am; Rafaela left to get ready for school.

Isabella: Wow. And what time have you arrived here?

Nicolas: Since 3:55 in the morning when Rafaela called me when I arrived, they had already taken you to a room, and she told me everything that happened.

Isabella: But I'm fine; I just want to go home, I said, trying to get myself up.

Nicolas: None of that love. You are not well, and you will stay here for as long as necessary

Isabella: what about my mother? Did you call her?

Nicolas: Yes, after I arrived, I tried to call, but it couldn't reach her, only voice mail

Just then, a doctor entered the room.

Doctor: Good morning, Isabella Fercondine? He asked, standing beside my bed.

Isabella: Yes, it's me

Doctor: How are you feeling? He held my hands.

Isabella: Thank God a lot better. When can I go home?

Doctor: You are under observation for now. How is your tummy? he asked, laying his hands on it and squeezing it lightly

Isabella: it hurts a lot

Doctor: I'm going to ask you to do some checkups for me.

Isabella: all right

Doctor: in the meantime, you need to stay a little longer under observation

Isabella: OK

I had breakfast at the hospital, and around noon I was free to go home. When I arrived, to my surprise my mother and father had just come from the trip, as far as I could see, as the bags were still in the room, they looked scared while talking to aunt Luh and when they saw me, they rushed to hug me.

- Mom, Dad I said in surprise.

Marcele: Thank God, we were very fretting about you, she said, and I didn't understand because she already seemed to know what had happened

Lorenzo: how are you? Luzia called us earlier, said that when you arrived, you weren't home, and there was blood and vomit on your bathroom floor; we didn't think twice and went back home

Luiza: I'm sorry, Isabella, I was distraught, and I didn't know what to do

Isabella: it's alright, aunt Luh, you did the right thing.

I woke up at dawn feeling bad, a lot of pain, sweating cold, feeling weak, and very sick, and there was blood in it when I vomited. Rafaela rescued me and took me to the hospital; I was under observation for the rest of the night; Nicolas and Rafaela stayed with me the entire time.

Lorenzo: thank you so much, kid, said my father holding Nicolas's hand firmly

Nicolas: there is nothing to be thankful for; I would do it as often as necessary

Marcele: we urgently need to go to the doctor for a consultation, can you still do that, dear?

Isabella: I'm exhausted today, maybe in the afternoon, or tomorrow we'll do the exams

Marcele: All right. Nicolas, thank you for staying with Isa.

Nicolas: don't mention it, please, Dona Marcele.

Isabella: I'm going up to shower while you guys talk, I said, taking the stairs.

I went up to the bedroom, grabbed a towel, noticed that Aunt Luh had already cleaned everything; I took a long, long shower, put on a sweatshirt that used to be glued to my body but now showed a little baggy, a proof that I lost weight. I looked in the mirror and hated how I looked; apparently, I was unhealthy, but anyway. I lay down on the bed; Nicolas soon after knocked on the bedroom door, came in, and sat beside me for a few minutes.

It was past half twelve, and I still hadn't eaten anything, as usual, without an ounce of desire to eat.

Nicolas: my love, you need to eat, he said, running his hand through my hair.

Isabella: I'm not hungry, I replied

Nicolas: but you have to. I told your mother that you hadn't had lunch yet; she had aunt luh prepare some soup for you.

Isabella: oh my God, my mother and her soups, there's no need for that, my love.

Nicolas: Yes, there is. Do you want to go back to the hospital?

Isabella: no, I don't; I rolled up my eyes with a gloomy face.

Nicolas: I don't want you to go back there either, so hurry up, eat so you don't get weak again, no junk food.

Isabella: OK, Doctor Nicolas. I smiled. Sorry I made you miss a class at college today

Nicolas: It's OK sweety, I can replace everything later, catch up with friends, anyway... don't worry, I couldn't leave you alone

Isabella: you're so good that you look like an angel; sometimes I think I don't deserve all of that; you're just awesome

Nicolas: I already think the opposite revealed meekly, and we smiled

Isabella: thank you so much, thank you for everything; I love you so much

Nicolas: I thank you, and I'm so thankful for having you, for loving you, for being your love, for being the person you want to share your life with, and the love I feel for you is the size of the world, Isa.

Isabella: how beautiful you are, kiss me now, I asked, dragging him close, and we kiss passionately

After a while, my mother took the soup to bed, and I ate it in the bedroom.

Paula, Rafa, and Lucas came to visit me, we stayed together talking for a few hours and then they left.

-Take care, OK? Nicolas kissed my forehead, preparing to leave.

Isabella: are you going too?

Nicolas: I need to go, my love

Isabella: OK, I shouted from the bedroom. Thanks again

Nicolas: I'll always be by your side, understood? he says, holding my face, and I just nodded; I love you, bye.

Isabella: bye, take care; I love you

My father and mother stayed home all afternoon with me, which was an unusual case. We talked, watched TV together and at around 4 pm we went to see a family doctor

Does it take someone to get sick to spend some quality time with his folks?

Doctor: What can I do for you? What have you been feeling?

Isabella: a stabbing abdominal discomforts, throes stomachache, weakness, nausea and I vomited blood twice, I lost a couple of kilos, and I always feel a burning sensation and a feeling of being satiated even when I eat a little, and seldom I have an appetite.

- when did it start?

- just yesterday, for example, it was at dawn that I started vomiting blood and ended up in the emergency room; an anguishing pain always accompanies it; I have also noticed that my belly gets swollen a couple of times

- OK, we should run some blood tests and digestive endoscopy, do it as soon as you can and bring it to me

Marcele: we'll have them done, dr. Thank you very much, see you later

Doctor: see you later, get better, Isa

Isabella: thank you

[...]

- are you sure? And if you feel anything wrong? Isn't it better to stay at home? said my mother over and over while I got ready to go to church

Isabella: mother! I'm feeling fine now, and it's only about two hours out, relax.

As soon as Nicolas and I arrived, we sat down next to Thomaz and Luana.

Initially, Some people went to the front to sing as usual; today, Nicolas and I agreed to sing together at the altar; we would be the last ones.

Minutes after everyone sang there we were in front of the entire church. We chose "Alleluia."

That would be my first time singing public; my hands were sweating with so many people with their eyes fixed at me.

Soon the brothers from the band started to play, little by little I was feeling more comfortable, Nicolas held my hand, and then we began to sing. I never felt so much emotion; I sang as I had never sung before; it felt like I was born for that; it looks like it was my life calling, my aptitude; it was beautiful. As soon as we finished the song, we returned to the bench, and the pastor began preaching.

- Wow, Isa, you sing very well, girl, Luanda said with her mouth open

- Thank you, I smiled, and then I sat down.

- Beautiful duet, Thomas said, looking at Nicola and me. And then he made a demonstrative clap of hands

Nicolas: thank you, smiling sideways.

As always, The preaching was great; every day, I feel that God has been working more and more in a way that has made me feel like a brand-new person; I'm not the same anymore. Today I can see that the best place to live is in the ways of the Lord.

I can see how far I was from this God, my life was empty and colorless, and today my days are colorful, full of emotions, love, and peace; I feel more and more dependent on this God, I can no longer live without him.

After the meeting was over, Nicolas and I went back to my house.

Nicolas: sweety, you surprised me today; I've never seen you singing like that, so fervent; he smiled and hugged me when he told me that.

Isabella: believe me, I've never sung like that, But I liked it, it was the first time I sang in public.

Nicolas: And it went very well. I'm more and more in love with you, you know?

Isabella: Yeah? I smiled.

Nickolas pulled me and kissed me; how did the doctor's appointment go?

- it went well. I told him everything I was feeling; he did some blood tests and an endoscopy

Nicolas: Regardless of the results, everything will be fine, my princess

Isabella: Amen, my charming Prince

I sincerely thanked God for the people I had in my life, for not material wealth that matters the most in this life is but the caring we have for people who love us and the well-being they bring us. After Nicolas left, I went up to the bedroom, smiling to the walls, feeling lighter, showered, put on pajamas, knelt by the bed, and prayed to the Lord before bed.

"Lord God, thank you for another day of life, for this wonderful night I had, thank you for putting me in your ways, for the people I have in life, who give me love and care and take care of me. May I never get deviated from your ways, hold my hand, teach me to completely trust you, to love you more and more and walk as you please, take care of our relationship, my family, my friends, my health, I deliver my pains in your hands, my problems, my life, everything I have in your hands, do your will. I love you, God, thank you for everything, amen".